Crackling Leaves
by Duke157
Summary: Katie Bell stood fear stricken as the crackling leaves signaled her approaching pursuer. Rated T for suggestions to graphic themes.


**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.**

 **Word Count: 882**

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 **Challenge:** Are you Crazy Enough To Do It Challenge

 **Prompt:** 726\. (random prompt) Run towards something/someone

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 **Challenge:** The Golden Snitch Forum - Kasai, Mahoutokoro - [Valentines Event] St Chocolate\'s Day

 **Prompt:** ** _Honmei-choco:_** Oliver Wood and Katie Bell

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 **Challenge:** The Golden Snitch Forum - Kasai, Mahoutokoro - [Challenge] Career Advice

 **Prompt:** 15) Crisp Inspector - _Write a story that begins with: "Leaves crackled beneath his/her feet, breaking the ominous silence..." You can make a few changes to the statement._

 **Optional Prompts:**

1) (word) delicate

2) (restriction) don't use the word 'but' in your whole story

3) (genre) suspense

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Leaves crackled beneath his feet, breaking the ominous silence. I could sense his presence behind the wall I was leaning against. I could sense him creeping his way to the edge of the wall, so he could ambush me.

He doesn't know that I've found him first. He doesn't know that I'm ready for him.

I grip my weapon tighter, preparing for the worst. As delicate as a cat, I inch closer to the edge; hoping to carry out an ambush of my own. The smell of the green moss on the wall attacks my nose; some unknown insect crawls by the side of my face. I hold back my scream, despite my fear of anything that crawls; because at the moment I'm more afraid of being found.

"It'll all be over soon." I tell myself internally; I don't know if the voice is more confident that I'm a step ahead or more relieved that it'll be over soon regardless of the outcome. I tell myself it's the former.

With that reassurance, I steady my breathing and continue on my seemingly never-ending trudge across the three meters to the edge of the wall; keeping as close to the wall as possible.

I quietly check the wall for any holes that I could possibly use to track the position of my pursuer, and also to avoid being tracked myself. Finding none, I resign to myself that this will only end when we do make it to the end.

Suddenly, I hear his footsteps pick up pace, the crackling leaves giving away his immediate position, and the direction in which he is running. I get into shooting position and rest my finger on the trigger, ready to unload my cartridge into whoever or whatever jumps out from behind that wall.

The instant I see something, I pull the trigger; more out of reflex and anxiousness than anything else.

The little hard pebble hits him on the side of his chest, just below his heart. Red liquid splatters all over, some of it lands on my face.

"Ah!" He falls to the ground with a scream of pain, clutching the side of his chest in agony.

I do not care much for any it; my thoughts are dominated by the feelings of elation and relief that overwhelm me. It was finally over. I had done it. I had won.

Weapon still in hand, I rush to the fallen body of Oliver Wood, my husband, to confirm that I had indeed won.

I point the weapon at him and ask aloud with a bright smile. "Did I win?"

He looks up at me, his face still a little strained from the hit. With a sigh, he let his head fall as a sign of defeat.

After a slight pause, I start laughing loudly in a manner that can almost be called sinister. Somewhere behind me, a horn is blown, signaling the end of the battle.

"Ha ha, that's enough now, love. Come on, help me up; the game's over now." He calls out to me. Catching my breath, I reach out and offer him my hand to pull him back to a vertical base.

"Ron and George really made these extra powerful; at such a short distance, they hurt almost as much as bludger would." He rubs the side of his chest again, the red paint now covering his entire left arm.

I gawk at his description incredulously. "No way! It's just a ball of paint, Oliver. How much could it hurt?"

"Ha, that's easy for you to say. You've never taken one of these to the side of your chest. The Weasley brothers went out of their way to ensure that it would hurt when it hits. You think those two would do something halfway?" He replied as we proceed to walk out of the play area.

"Hmm… Maybe not. In any case, you're spot-on about the fact that I have never taken a Weasley's special paintball to my chest, or any other part of the body for that matter; and I achieved this amazing feat while avoiding six huge guys, even though I was the final survivor on my team. That's because I'm the paintball champion. And now, you've lost the bet." I start poking him in his side, his ticklish reaction taking over him as he tried to jump out of the way.

"Stop it." He says, catching both of my hands in his to prevent me from tormenting him any further. "And love, we played _one game_ of paintball so far in our lives. Us guys will definitely win the next one, you just watch."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see when that happens. Before all of that though, I have a reward to claim – A fantasy of my choice for Valentine's day tomorrow. Get ready love, because it's about to get wild." My lips curved into a smirk as I shot a seductive wink at my _partenarie de vie_.

Without a second glance, I turn away and run to my teammates to join in the celebrations. The image of a gawking Oliver Wood now imprinted in the deep reservoirs of my brain, in a place that is reserved just for moments like this. I cannot stop the smile that arises on my face.

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 **Haha, tricked you didn't I?**

 **Don't worry, I am in no mood to release a suspenseful horror thriller on valentine's day.**

 **Anyway, I hope you like it. It's my first attempt at writing in present tense. Hopefully, I didn't make too many mistakes. (preferably none)**

 **Let me know what you think in a review.**


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